A Russian military conveyance plane, carrying 15 occupants, encountered a catastrophic event on Tuesday during its departure from an airbase in western Russia, as declared by the Ministry of Defense. The announcement specified that the Il-76 aircraft, carrying eight crew members and seven passengers, crashed within the confines of the Ivanovo region. No confirmation regarding potential survivors was provided.

The ministry’s official statement attributed the mishap to an ignition within one of the engines during the ascent. The Il-76, equipped with four engines, serves as a robust transport aircraft, having served since the 1970s under both the Soviet and Russian air forces.

The occurrence transpired on a day marked by numerous incursions upon Russia by Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles, as reported by the Defense Ministry. Historically, Ukrainian drones have struck various military airbases situated deep within Russian territory. Analysts in military circles have observed a correlation between the surge in Russian military sorties amidst the conflict in Ukraine and the escalating frequency of aviation incidents.